My pickups' output has always been too low. I think I got dud pickups when I first bought it in 78. I just figured that was what I got.

I did a search and couldn't find anything on the forums.

What replacement pus would you recommend, and where do I find them?

JohnHall

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:40 pm

Site Admin

Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:00 pmPosts: 4036Location: Santa Ana, CA

Bridge out the capacitor and I'll bet it'll knock your socks off. Search the forum for info on this.

wmmnorthcutt

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:37 pm

Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:07 pmPosts: 29

Thanks. I'll check it out.

wmmnorthcutt

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:35 pm

Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:07 pmPosts: 29

Do you mean that you clip the 0.0047 uF cap? That's what the search brought up. I saw an explanation of how it works. But my neck pu is fairly weak too.

iiipopes

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 5:27 pm

Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:07 amPosts: 3773

It's not a clip out, because it is the jumper from the selector switch to the controls. It's a bridge. Back in the day, we used to bridge them with a foil gum wrapper.

In 1978, when that bass was new, I was a 16-year old teenager hanging out at the "in" music store where I live (which is still in business with the same owner). A guy came in with exactly what you described. I lent an ear, and after they both checked out other aspects of the setup, and after they were both starting to shrug their shoulders, I asked if I could input. Kind of condescending, the owner said, "Alright...."

I described the inline capacitor and the bridge to be done. After looking at me with skepticism, he got a small screwdriver, opened up the control plate, jumped the cap, reassembled, and it did just what Mr. JH says it will do in his above post.

The store owner and I have been best friends ever since, even playing in blues bands together at points over the years.

wmmnorthcutt

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 2:17 am

Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:07 pmPosts: 29

It's something to think about. Does it affect only the bridge pu?

Badanovski

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 8:47 am

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:32 amPosts: 42

The cap effects only the bridge pickup. I had a 74 & an 80. I thought the pickups were weak on both. People say the later single coils from 4003s are stronger. The HB1s from the 4004s are humbuckers and punchier. I have Bartolini's & they are really loud & clean. It depends a lot on what kind of sound your after.

wmmnorthcutt

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:25 pm

Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:07 pmPosts: 29

That's about what I'm looking for. I've seen the Bartonlinis. May just get them soon. Meanwhile, I'm going to play around with the Ric and my new bass amp. I heard the Ric sing when I played it through an old Ampeg SVT rig, despite the weak pus. I can't get that thunder from Heaven from my amp, but the Ric will still push some air.

Ric5

Post subject: Re: New pu's for a 1978 4001s

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:13 am

Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2005 1:00 pmPosts: 1686Location: Colorado

For a 70s 4001 you can put in a neck toaster and a 4003 high gain pickup. Both are direct drop in replacements for the 4001. Also the 4001 does come with the .0047 capacitor which truncates all bass and low mids from the bridge pickup. Most people bypass or remove that capacitor.

Also Rickenbacker 4004 pickups can be installed in a 4001 with a little bit of work.

I have tried the seymour duncan replacement pickups and did not like them. Barts are nice pickups but they don't really have a "Rickenbacker" tone. Joe Barden makes some replacement pickups that sound Rick-like, but they are pricey. Classic amplification makes some pickups that are supposed to be replicas of the 70s high gain pickups. I haven't heard them so I can't comment on their tone.

Usually the best bet is to use real Ric pickups in your 4001.

I used to own a 68 4001. As an experiment I put in 2 Rickenbacker 4003 11k ohm high gain pickups in that bass and I removed the .0047 capacitor. That bass sounded awesome that way. I also put 4003 pickups in a 73 4001 and it also sounded good as well.

The main difference between the current high gain pickups and the old 70s high gain pickups is the new ones are a little hotter, louder, fuller, and have more low end, because they are wound about 3k ohms hotter.

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